Not Intelligent and Shy - Possibility For Medical School?

[Confused 20]

I am a shy individual of average intelligence at best. However I have a great passion to pursue medical school (U.S. or Caribbean school). Is it possible for a person of average intelligence to succeed in medical school if he uses his passion, determination, and hard work ethic to the best of his ability?

[Chemist_11]

Well, average ability the US med schools are out, however the carrib is open! If you can show that you have the burning ambition to become a doc, thats the type of student they want - however the work load is huge, and they will not accept a student ( majority of schools ) who wont be able to pass classes.


If you are an average student in biology and chemistry, asin B grade, you should, in theory be A OK.

Good luck!

p.s. try the smaller, newer schools, as they tend to accept students with lower 'ability' - req's are not too high.

Also, work experience is the key, such as volunteering at a hospital etc.


I am also terribly shy, however i cover that over with a good personality and humour. :D

;)

[miasma]

that's my problem too, i think. i am too shy and quiet.

[Chemist_11]

Lol, yeah, i would feel really weird at a patients bedside asking questions (and answering them hopefully :)).

[dt]

how can you guys be shy if you are posting on this forum??? ;)

[tRmedic21]

Well, being shy is something you'll have to work on, but you have time to do that. Being TOO shy can hurt you in your clinicals. I'm not talking about being a gunner who is trying to get into Derm or Optho or NeuroSurg... but you'll be pimped by attendings, put on the spot in front of the rest of your team, other students, and even patients. You WILL need to learn to deal with that.

Medical school concepts are not difficult, if they are taken on in a methodical approach. But the VOLUME is enormous. The old analogy of drinking water from a firehose is an accurate one. If you are willing to work very very hard, you can do it. Maybe you'll like to do something like OB/Gyn, FP, Peds, or Psych, in which case you can still be yourself and not have to be overly outgoing. But confidence is something you'll need to develop, most likely, as patients will take to you better. Not being arrogant, but being confident.

We need SMALLER egos in medicine, make no mistake about it. There is a place for you if you're willing to work for it.

Good luck!

[DRDRWMD]

Average grades and average MCAT should get you into any caribbean school. The majority of students are of average intelligence.

[Lufega]

Yes. Sure you can.

[rokshana]

average students can do GREAT things if they work really hard and are ambitious- more so that a brilliant person without drive and ambition.

Don't sell yourself short - for either US or caribbean schools.

take the mcats- see how you do - then decide which way to go.

as for the shy - work on it! go do some volunteer work that makes you interact with people - doesn't have too be crazy hard - volunteer at a nursing home - they love having someone to talk to and love having questions ask (more stories for them to tell you!!).

[McGillGrad]

Average intelligence? You mean 100 IQ?

If life has taught me anything, it is that success in life is dependent on preparation, dedication and perspiration. In other words, even though I have no problem grasping concepts right away, the person who had to reread the chapter 5 times to understand will get a better grade in the course because of my arrogance and their humility.

If you use work to overcome natural (in)ability then you are even.

[Chemist_11]

Lol, yeah i think medicine can do without big headed doctors - i certainly wouldn't appreciate it if i were his/hers patient, or colleague for that matter.

Anybody have any 'confidence building tips'?

Thanks people. :cool:

[MD04]

I am a shy individual of average intelligence at best. However I have a great passion to pursue medical school (U.S. or Caribbean school). Is it possible for a person of average intelligence to succeed in medical school if he uses his passion, determination, and hard work ethic to the best of his ability?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Race_and_intelligencehttp://www.psych.utoronto.ca/~reingold/courses/intelligence/cache/1198gottfred_table.gif

Do you know ur IQ score??????
I hope it might help u.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/8/88/Sketch-4race-transparent.png/400px-Sketch-4race-transparent.png (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Sketch-4race-transparent.png)
http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Sketch-4race-transparent.png)
Normal distribution showing results of studies comparing races and ethnic groups with IQ among U.S. test subjects show differences in average test scores, though the distributions overlap, as seen in this graph based on ******** et al. 1987 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Race_and_intelligence_%28References%29#********_et _al._1987) (see footnote 2 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Race_and_intelligence#_note-IQdistribution) for further references). The causes and meaning of the different average scores for these groups are debated.

[stephew]

first of all, you cant assess your ability by asertaining your iq. 2nd; a study long ago showed the best docs have an iq of 110, if indeed you do decide to asertain your iq.

[jflexmcat]

I am a shy individual of average intelligence at best. However I have a great passion to pursue medical school (U.S. or Caribbean school). Is it possible for a person of average intelligence to succeed in medical school if he uses his passion, determination, and hard work ethic to the best of his ability?

Most MD's I met have been calm, controlled individuals. Average intelligence is fine.... Average work ethic, commitment, determination etc...are not ok. I'll give you an example. My father has average intelligence/ amazing work ethic... My brother has high intelligence/ little determination and work ethic. My father graduated from Harvard/ MIT same year top two% of his graduating class (all before he turned 30) My brother hasnt finished his four year University courses yet (he's 33 now).

You can gauge intelligence to a point...but you cant guage your drive, will power, determination which can be immesurable and transcend your intelligence level. Good Luck!

[jflexmcat]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Race_and_intelligencehttp://www.psych.utoronto.ca/~reingold/courses/intelligence/cache/1198gottfred_table.gif

Do you know ur IQ score??????
I hope it might help u.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/8/88/Sketch-4race-transparent.png/400px-Sketch-4race-transparent.png (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Sketch-4race-transparent.png)
http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Sketch-4race-transparent.png)
Normal distribution (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Normal_distribution) showing results of studies comparing races (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Race) and ethnic groups (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethnic_group) with IQ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IQ) among U.S. test subjects show differences in average test scores, though the distributions (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Normal_distribution) overlap, as seen in this graph based on ******** et al. 1987 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Race_and_intelligence_%28References%29#********_et _al._1987) (see footnote 2 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Race_and_intelligence#_note-IQdistribution) for further references). The causes and meaning of the different average scores for these groups are debated.

Hmmm, so how do you explain my father (who is black) graduated amongsts the top two% from Harvard and MIT in the same year? LOL, I guess he should throw his MD and MPH plaques in the garbage due to "this" graph? My Father grew up in poverty and was on wellfare (lol that makes him unintelligent)? Hmmm I don't understand. The graph has absolutley no merrit to me as my family has a history of intelligent individuals. Must be propaganda to make someone feel superior. An intelligent person would know that the graph doesnt even address the true underlyeing issues of intelligance and race. Seriously, IQ really lost all credibility with me when the US elected a President with a documented IQ of 76.

[McGillGrad]

The graph is about averages. No need to get defensive and throw out the baby with the bathwater.



Hmmm, so how do you explain my father (who is black) graduated amongsts the top two% from Harvard and MIT in the same year? LOL, I guess he should throw his MD and MPH plaques in the garbage due to "this" graph? My Father grew up in poverty and was on wellfare (lol that makes him unintelligent)? Hmmm I don't understand. The graph has absolutley no merrit to me as my family has a history of intelligent individuals. Must be propaganda to make someone feel superior. An intelligent person would know that the graph doesnt even address the true underlyeing issues of intelligance and race. Seriously, IQ really lost all credibility with me when the US elected a President with a documented IQ of 76.